Cold Weather Holding You Hostage?

Todays wonderful guest post is from Susie Sams of Be Strong and Courageous. Susie is the proud momma to Oceana (5 in April) and Naomi (2 in April). An American by-birth, Susie has lived in New Zealand for several years and recently moved back to Pennsylvania to live near family. She loves to craft, sew, and knit, but cuddling her girls is her favorite.

You’ve tried all the indoor activities you can think of. The puzzles, play dough, cars, dolls, and the blocks. The kids are sick of it. The cold weather is holding them – and you! – hostage. Yes, it’s cold outside. But let’s just go with something your mom said to you once upon a time,

“It’s good for you!”

It takes me about 30 minutes to get the girls (just a few weeks off of 2 & 5) dressed up and ready for the elements. The mittens are never in pairs and the boots are a struggle.

But look at the faces!

They both were desperate for a snow ball.

Even something as simple as suggesting my nearly-5-year-old go see our car all covered in snow was fun. She was all excited that she’d “touched” the car when it had snow on it.

(Wait until you’re grown up and it’s your job to clean the snow off the car. It won’t be so exciting then.)

If you can’t find a good mitten that keeps the cold out, pop two pairs of knit mittens on them. The first layer gets the wet and cold and the second layer keeps their little fingers warm. It doesn’t work beyond about a half an hour. With little ones 30 minutes is pretty good in cold weather.

They both loved looking at the tracks they left behind in the snow. Another fun snow activity was having the girls try to walk in my footprints. Take smaller strides Momma, those snowsuits make their legs seem even shorter.

Far beyond the fun of snowballs, trekking through the snow, following footprints, or snow angels though, was their first snowman. My girls grew up in New Zealand – far away from any of the white stuff. They had never seen snow before this winter.

Since my oldest had only ever seen movies or books with snowmen in them, she was sure he needed to be completely decked out. I was obliging since she was going on 60 minutes outside, the longest length of time she’s spent outside in several months.

Yes, it was cold. We got wet. And there was a icky, wet mess to clean off the floors when all was said and done. They loved it though. I hope they remember their first winter forever.